Osborne's Lack of Oversight

[Nevada Husker]

I think Osborne's "hands off" approach as Pelini's boss has put us in the position we are with the football program after 5 years. Osborne has mentioned many times in the past that he doesn't like to stick his nose into the football operation because that's the way he liked it when he was Head Coach. IMO, that was entirely the wrong approach to take with a first time HC that he had in Pelini.

Everyone assumed that Tom was hands-on behind the scenes helping Bo to become a solid HC. I tend to think that was not happening and that Osborne let Bo do his thing, and what we're left with is an above average team each year but nothing better, and no signs that we are making the kind of changes and improvement that will take us to another level.

I'm hopeful that the new AD and some of the more vocal (with both voice and $) boosters put a lot of heat on Pelini during this off-season to make some needed changes to attempt to move the ship in a more successful direction. Pelini's press conference after the loss to GA sounded like a guy that new he had to put a positive spin on next year because he didn't have any other choice but to given that it's recruiting time and that in year 6 he needs to step up his game.

 

[knapplc]

A post entirely built on a straw man. Osborne's "hands off" approach is a myth, either created by you or perpetuated by you. Osborne was a fine AD. This is a silly set of presumptions.

 

[hskrpwr13]

Can't disagree more with the whole post.

Regarding Osborne, why do you think "everyone" believes he was playing Oz behind the curtain, when he has publicly stated many times that he is availalbe to Bo if or when Bo wants his advice?

 

[kchusker_chris]

If he had to be "hands on" then he hired the wrong guy in the first place. There are what...20 other sports at the university that he has to oversee as well. Not to mention donors, and working out the political sh!tstorm that got the funding for the arena. A stadium expansion. Revamping the Devany for volleyball. New practice facilities. Coaching searches in the other 2 major mens sports. etc, etc, etc. I don't get fans that think Tom's sole job is to oversee the football program.

 

[Nevada Husker]

We all like to think of the Tom Osborne of the 1980's and 1990's, but he isn't the same guy in 2013. Nothing wrong with that, life changes and priorities change as we get older. He was brought in as more of a figurehead and even he probably didn't expect to be around for five years. He has said on numerous occasions that he is/was hands-off.

 

[Nevada Husker]

Can't disagree more with the whole post.

Regarding Osborne, why do you think "everyone" believes he was playing Oz behind the curtain, when he has publicly stated many times that he is availalbe to Bo if or when Bo wants his advice?

My point exactly. "If and when Bo wants his advice." And how many times do you think a guy like Pelini actually went to him for advice? My guess is not often.

 

[redintampa]

If he had to be "hands on" then he hired the wrong guy in the first place. There are what...20 other sports at the university that he has to oversee as well. Not to mention donors, and working out the political sh!tstorm that got the funding for the arena. A stadium expansion. Revamping the Devany for volleyball. New practice facilities. Coaching searches in the other 2 major mens sports. etc, etc, etc. I don't get fans that think Tom's sole job is to oversee the football program.

+a million. The AD is not just responsible for football.

 

[KC Cowboy]

Nevada, are you trying to say that our athletic director should be telling our coach how to coach? No one wants to win more than Bo, so putting "heat" on him won't help anything. I enjoyed his positive outlook for once. And if you think 9, 10, 10, 9, and 10 wins is barely "above average", you must be severely disappointed by everything in life.

 

[ADS]

Are claiming Osborne was not a good AD? Because if you are, then man you are in a big minority.

 

[AFhusker]

If he had to be "hands on" then he hired the wrong guy in the first place. There are what...20 other sports at the university that he has to oversee as well. Not to mention donors, and working out the political sh!tstorm that got the funding for the arena. A stadium expansion. Revamping the Devany for volleyball. New practice facilities. Coaching searches in the other 2 major mens sports. etc, etc, etc. I don't get fans that think Tom's sole job is to oversee the football program.

+a million. The AD is not just responsible for football.

That isn't true, because if he wasn't, then Peterson woudln't have been fired because he was good at everything else.

 

[AFhusker]

I think Osborne's "hands off" approach as Pelini's boss has put us in the position we are with the football program after 5 years. Osborne has mentioned many times in the past that he doesn't like to stick his nose into the football operation because that's the way he liked it when he was Head Coach. IMO, that was entirely the wrong approach to take with a first time HC that he had in Pelini.

Everyone assumed that Tom was hands-on behind the scenes helping Bo to become a solid HC. I tend to think that was not happening and that Osborne let Bo do his thing, and what we're left with is an above average team each year but nothing better, and no signs that we are making the kind of changes and improvement that will take us to another level.

I'm hopeful that the new AD and some of the more vocal (with both voice and $) boosters put a lot of heat on Pelini during this off-season to make some needed changes to attempt to move the ship in a more successful direction. Pelini's press conference after the loss to GA sounded like a guy that new he had to put a positive spin on next year because he didn't have any other choice but to given that it's recruiting time and that in year 6 he needs to step up his game.

The new AD has already stood up for Bo as there are more than a few boosters that were arleady grumbling and wanting a coaching change. As a matter of fact, he was able to get a few of them to give money again whereas they stopped under Tom because they didn't like the direction fo the program. But there is no doubt that if Bo finds a way to lose 4 games again with that patetically easy schedule next year, it's not likely that he will be around much longer.

 

[kchusker_chris]

If he had to be "hands on" then he hired the wrong guy in the first place. There are what...20 other sports at the university that he has to oversee as well. Not to mention donors, and working out the political sh!tstorm that got the funding for the arena. A stadium expansion. Revamping the Devany for volleyball. New practice facilities. Coaching searches in the other 2 major mens sports. etc, etc, etc. I don't get fans that think Tom's sole job is to oversee the football program.

+a million. The AD is not just responsible for football.

That isn't true, because if he wasn't, then Peterson woudln't have been fired because he was good at everything else.

Read again. I didn't say he didn't have any responsibility towards football. Just that it's not his ONLY responsibility Peterson couldn't hire a competent football coach. That's part of the duties. He failed. As is maintaining the culture of the athletic program. Which eroded completely (even outside of football) under Peterson.

 

[Count 'Bility]

If he had to be "hands on" then he hired the wrong guy in the first place. There are what...20 other sports at the university that he has to oversee as well. Not to mention donors, and working out the political sh!tstorm that got the funding for the arena. A stadium expansion. Revamping the Devany for volleyball. New practice facilities. Coaching searches in the other 2 major mens sports. etc, etc, etc. I don't get fans that think Tom's sole job is to oversee the football program.

+a million. The AD is not just responsible for football.

That isn't true, because if he wasn't, then Peterson woudln't have been fired because he was good at everything else.

Read again. I didn't say he didn't have any responsibility towards football. Just that it's not his ONLY responsibility Peterson couldn't hire a competent football coach. That's part of the duties. He failed. As is maintaining the culture of the athletic program. Which eroded completely (even outside of football) under Peterson.

And the "Peterson was good at everthing else" isnt entirely true. There were others issues besides and sh**ty football team as for why Pederson was fired.

 

[knapplc]

Generally speaking, Pederson was well-liked by the other coaches. He was fired because of the way he screwed up the football program, and his "burn-the-bridges" mentality regarding our history.

He was a decent AD, just not a good fit at Nebraska. He fits in over at Pitt, and they're welcome to keep him.

 

[da skers]

Are claiming Osborne was not a good AD? Because if you are, then man you are in a big minority.

What he's stating is that he thinks the football program sucks and Bo is a bad coach. No matter how often people want to state it. It just isn't true. Even if they point out the bad losses they aren't looking at the body of work as a whole and it speaks very highly compared to other programs across the nation.